The Little Engine That Could, Written by: Watty Piper Illustrated by: George Hauman & Doris Hauman

The Little Engine That Could

Written by: Watty Piper

Illustrated by: George Hauman & Doris Hauman

Grades:PreK-2

Awards: Lewis Carrol Shelf Award (1958)

The little engine that could is about an engine that came along and helped a broken down train after other trains refused. The train is only a moving train that had never been over the mountain but, when it thought of all the girls and boys who wouldn’t get their toys and food. The little train had never done anything like this before. She chants "I think I can, I think I can," and after a lot of hard work it does make it. It is a story about perseverance and reaching your goal. 

In the classroom this book encourages students to not give up. That if they keep trying they to can reach the goals that are set for them. 

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Written and Illustrated by Mo Wiliams

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Written and Illustrated by: Mo Williams

Grades: PreK- 2nd

Awards:

• Caldecott Honor (2004)
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award for K-2 (2005) 
• Charlotte Zolotow Award Nominee (2004)
• Vermont's Picture Book Awards: Red Clover (2005)
• South Carolina Book Award for Picture Book Award (2006)
• Flicker Tale Children's Book Award (2005)
• Golden Archer Award for Primary (2005)
• Buckaroo Book Award (2004)
• Indies Choice Book Award for Picture Book Hall of Fame (2009)

When a bus driver goes on break, he asks the audience to keep an eye on his vehicle and the daft, bug-eyed pigeon who desperately wants to drive it. The pigeon then relentlessly begs readers for some time behind the wheel: "I tell you what: I'll just steer. My cousin Herb drives a bus almost every day. The pigeon who dreams of driving a bus pleads and begs for an opportunity from the readers who are "watching" the bus for the driver. When finally the pigeon can not take anymore and he erupts in a full-spread tantrum screaming, "Let me drive the bus!!!". When the driver returns and takes off, the bird slumps dejectedly until a big red truck inspires a new round of motoring fantasies. 

The Velveteen Rabbit Written by Margery Williams Bianco and Illustrated by Monique Felix

The Velveteen Rabbit

Written by Margery Williams Bianco

Illustrated by Monique Felix

Grades: Pre-k - 2nd
Awards:
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (1971)

A stuffed toy rabbit with real thread whiskers and pink satin ears,  comes to life. Given as a Christmas gift to a young boy, the Rabbit lives in the nursery with all of the other toys, waiting for the day when the Boy will choose him as a playmate. In time, the shy Rabbit befriends the tattered Skin Horse, the wisest resident of the nursery, who reveals the goal of all nursery toys: to be made "real" through the love of a human. "'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'" The boy does love the rabbit and he soon looses his nice plump stuffed body and his pink ears fade. Will the rabbit become real?

This is a wonderful story of love between a child and his toys. Every child feels their toys are real. This will let them continue to question that and understand how the animals feel as well. 

The Tale of Three Trees A Traditional Folktale retold by Angela Elwell Hunt and Illustrated by Tim Jonke

The Tale of Three Trees

A Traditional Folktale 

Retold by Angela Elwell Hunt

Illustrated by Tim Jonke

Grades: K-7

The Tale of Three Trees tells the Easter story from the viewpoint of 3 trees. It is an unusual point of view. The trees have big dreams for their life but, they think those dreams are ruined when they are chopped down. The carpenter does not make them into what they want to be, but in the end they did become what they wanted. It tells the significance of Christ’s life and his atoning sacrifice on the cross.

This book could only be used in a Christian Classroom. It is a Christ centered book that tells the story of Jesus from birth to resurrection. 

Children Make Terrible Pets (Starring Lucille Beatrice Bear) Written and Illustrated by Peter Brown

Children Make Terrible Pets
Written and Illustrated by: Peter Brown
Grades: PreK-3
Awards:
Irma Black Award Nominee (2011), 
NAIBA Book of the Year for Picture Book (2011), 
Cybils Award Nominee (2010), 
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Picture Book (2010)

Lucy the bear finds a boy in the forest one day. She thinks he is the cutest thing in the world and must keep him for a pet. The boy makes a squeak sound, so she names him squeaker. Lucy's mom warns her that the boy will make a terrible pet, but she lets Lucy keep him anyway. It was a really cute story and the pictures are funny. The boy eventually returns to his "habitat" and Lucy finds that he is happy there. 

This is a great book for the classroom. It can be used for any child who has wanted pets that are not your average dog or cat. It shows there is a lot more to taking care of a pet than you think. 

When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... Written and Illustrated by Molly Bang

When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry...
Written and Illustrated by Molly Bang
Genre: Fiction, Picture Book
Grade Level: Pre-K - 3
Awards:
Caldecott Honor Book 2000
Charlotte Zolotow Award Winner 2000

Sophie is a little girl who is told to let her sister have a turn playing with a truck and a gorilla. Sophie does not want to give up her turn, so when her sister grabs her gorilla, she gets very angry. Her emotions inside are compared to a volcano about to explode. Sophie leaves her house and goes for a walk. She finds a large tree and climbs up high. While Sophie is in the tree her emotions calm down by the views around her and the quiet. After sitting awhile she climbs down and walks home. At home everything is normal.

The pictures are bold and bright in this book. It shows children that there are ways to calm down. They can go for a walk, climb a tree,  or just sit and take in the air and views around them. Thier parents will still be there when they come home. 

In the classroom this is a good book to open discussions about emotions ways to deal with them. 

• 
  
•